Hoyle was the first Labour politician to represent Chorley at Westminster in eighteen years. Prior to Parliament, he was a Councillor on Chorley Borough Council from 1980 to 1998. Hoyle also held the post of Deputy Leader from 1994 to 1997, and finished his time of the Council as Mayor from 1997 to 1998.[1] In February 1996, he was officially chosen to stand as a candidate for the following year's general election, in which he won.[7]

Hoyle was one of the 1997 Labour intake of MPs, winning a majority of 7,625.[8] He later served as a member of the House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee from 1998 to 2010.[1]

In the days after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in August 1997, Hoyle asked for a new national children's hospital to be built as a memorial to her.[20] A few days later, Hoyle wrote to airport operator BAA, operators of London Heathrow Airport, urging them to change the airport's name to Diana, Princess of Wales Airport.[21] Neither proposal was carried out.